27/09/2012 President
Strasbourg, 27.09.2012 – “The recent allegation that a handball match involving Montpellier may have been fixed has highlighted a dramatic and growing problem in Europe,” said Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
“I urge the authorities to get to the bottom of this affair as swiftly as possible, but – whatever the outcome of the judicial investigation – there is no doubt that wider action is urgently needed to tackle this looming threat. The cancer is worst in Asia – where we are told that corruption by highly organised criminal syndicates has already devastated many sports – but it is coming Europe's way. We need to act now.
Our Assembly recently concluded that banning betting in those competitions most vulnerable to corruption, such as lower-division professional football matches and under-18 or amateur competitions, could be one answer.
Meanwhile, Europe needs fresh laws that make ‘sports fraud’ a criminal offence, measures to identify suspicious bets more quickly, and training for athletes in the risks of accepting money for altering their performance. Discussion on a new Council of Europe convention to achieve these goals is about to begin – I urge European nations to conclude it and implement it as swiftly as possible. Every country will be affected by this, and there is little time to lose.”